At the same time, I feel a flush creeping up my neck, and other parts of my body. Damn this man and his…his…everything.
“Let’s move on,” Tracey says. “Rachel, you live with one roommate. Mind if I ask a personal question?”
It seems there couldn’t be any left to ask after the lines I’ve filled out and boxes I’ve checked, but I shrug.
“Sure.”
“Have you ever lived with a boyfriend?”
“No,” I say, holding my breath. What’ll the next question be?
“Neither have I,” Aaron says. “Lived with a girlfriend,” he adds.
I side-eye him.
“Yes?” he asks coolly.
“I was wondering how old you are.”
Instead of the smartass remark I expect, he says, “Twenty-seven.”
“Oh.”
Aaron lifts a brow. “Surprised?”
“I…no.” I shake my head, not only shocked that he’s younger than I predicted but also that he’s suddenly being civil.
“I’m not opposed to it,” he says, “I’ve simply never found anyone I want to spend that much time with.”
I’m still stuck on the fact that he’s only twenty-seven. Two years older than me.
The car and his attitude, combined with the fact that it looked like he was headed to work at a TV studio, made me think he was older. Not that much older, since his face is smooth and he’s in—from what I can tell through his clothes—great shape.
So, he works here…but what does he do? Not run errands or answer phones, judging by the money it takes to buy that kind of car.
Then again, he could be an intern living off an inheritance, for all I know.
“How do you think you would do, living with a man?” Tracey asks me.
I take a deep breath and do my best to forget about Aaron. It’s hard when he’s sitting right next to me, his mere presence demanding all of my attention.
“As long as we got along and there was enough space for both of us, I’d be all right. I’ve had the same roommate for four years, now. It’s a small apartment, but we do well.”
“But what about a man?” Aaron asks. “Someone you shared a bedroom with?”
My eyes narrow. Hello! I just answered that.
“Again,” I say, “it would be fine.”
“Only fine?”
He must be trying to push me. Maybe he wants to see what happens when I lose my temper.
Well, if that’s the case, it’s not gonna happen. Whatever reaction he wants out of me, I’ll make sure he doesn’t get it.
“It would be great.” I smile at him, sweet as pie. “And I’m sure you’d be super nice to live with, darlin’,” I add, pulling out my Texas drawl.
The corners of his lips twitch in humor.
“Oh, I would be very fun to live with,” he says, voice going lower in pitch. The seductiveness there can’t be denied.
I squirm in my seat. When did it get so hot in here?
“You probably pay for a maid so you don’t have to clean anything yourself,” I say.
“And I imagine every room looks like a tornado hit it after a visit from you.”
“Let me guess,” I bite back. “You leave the lights on in every room and the water running while you brush your teeth. No regard for the environment at all.”
“Actually, I co-started a non-profit that aids in environmental conservancy.” Another winning smile. “The state of the world is one of my top concerns.”
Damn. There’s no winning with him.
Never mind. At least I know how to keep the facade of confidence going. Looks like my acting skills will come in handy for this job, after all.
“Anything else?” Aaron asks. “I’m really enjoying your attempts to cut me down. They’re cute.”
A growl escapes my throat, taking me by surprise. It’s a sound I’m pretty sure I’ve never made before. It comes from someplace primal, an area in me that Aaron’s dangerous presence has awakened.
I’m half a breath away from lunging at him, but a dainty throat-clearing stops me.
Tracey’s eyes flick between the two of us. Next to her, the three men also watch me and Aaron intently.
I bite into the inside of my cheek. Aaron had me distracted enough that I almost forgot there were other people in the room.
I’m also pretty sure that, thanks to him, I’ve blown this audition. The producers wanted to get a sense of my overall personality, not an outright show of my mean streak.
Anger bubbles up my chest. First he steals my parking spot, and now he undermines my chances of a job?
He’s truly evil, that’s what he is.
Tracey nods at Dan, and he turns off the camera. Realizing all of what just happened was put on permanent record is an additional blow.
“Thank you, Rachel.” Tracey stands. “It was a pleasure to meet you. We’ll be in touch.”
It’s the same spiel every casting director gives at the end of an audition. It doesn’t mean much of anything. She’s only being polite.
This is, after all, business.
I shake hands with everyone except Aaron, who I don’t look at, thank them, collect my purse, and walk for the door.
At least this is over with.
Now I can go home and get back to the grind. Do a driving shift tonight. Maybe get online and see if there are any restaurants needing part-time servers. Maybe join a gym and set some fitness goals. Save up for new headshots.
It’s all about focusing on what you can control.
The receptionist is at his desk. He doesn’t even glance up to tell me goodbye, which is fine. I’m not sure I could speak if I tried.
There’s a lump in my throat. I’m trying to stay positive, but this whole week feels like a kick in the metaphorical balls.
The sound of someone coming out the door behind me prompts me to look over my shoulder.
Aaron’s eyes lock with mine.
All my muscles tense up.
“Can I offer you a ride to your car?” he asks.
Gripping my purse’s strap, I look him up and down. What is his game? He’s been incredibly rude to me. Suddenly, that’s changed?
“No, thank you.”
“Are you sure? From the way you told the story, it sounds like you had to park on the other end of the city.”
“Oh, ha ha,” I snap. “Very funny.”
His grin only widens. There’s no getting under his skin.
It sucks that I admire that so much.
“Why did you do that?” I ask.
Aaron slides his hands into his jeans’ pockets and leans back, completely at ease. “Do what?”
“Make me look bad in my audition.”
“Did I?”
“Yeah, you came in there and…you…” Frustration ties my tongue in knots. I shake my head. Why am I even bothering?
Because I can’t stop talking, that’s why. I might be quiet and keep to myself most of the time, but when I’m angry, a whole different Rachel emerges.
“This might be fun and games to you,” I say, “but I actually need this job.”
He pulls a face. “A reality show? Why’s that?”
“Just because.”
I’ve said too much already. The more I reveal about my life, the more ammunition I hand over.
“Are you sure you don’t want a ride?” Aaron asks.
I turn away. “I can make it back on my own.”
This time, when I stalk off, there’s no sound of footsteps behind me, but that doesn’t stop me from listening for them.
Chapter 5
Since Molly’s at work until at least six, I open up my driving app and cruise the neighborhood.
Driving for a rideshare app isn’t something I ever thought I would do, but it’s preferable to waiting tables in one big way. If I get booked on a shoot, sometimes there’s a time crunch and I have to be on the set within that week.
Even waiting tables, it can be hard to get off work. You have to find someo
ne to cover your shifts, and some managers will give you grief about it. Unless the acting gig is a big one, quitting your day job isn’t really an option.
It only happened to me once, where something large enough came along and I handed in my notice to leave my gig waitressing at a little vegan restaurant. It was a good job, as far as restaurant work goes. The owners were friendly and cared about their employees, the staff all got along, and the tips were good. It’s the kind of place I would have stayed at for as long as possible if I hadn’t gotten my part in Record Time.
It crosses my mind to head back there and see if they’ll take me on again, but I won’t do that. For one thing, I quit that job because my career was supposedly taking off. Walking back through those doors to beg for a job will feel too much like admitting defeat.
I’m almost a hundred percent certain I’ll need to find something, though. My audition today was a bust. It would be great to blame the failure on Aaron, but the truth is that I would have struggled even if he hadn’t been there.
My phone beeps, but it’s not another ride. It’s a text from Molly saying she’s heading home, and should she pick up Chinese en-route?
Since I’m driving, I call her.
“Hey, babes,” her voice greets over the speaker. “How did it go?”
The question alone makes the muscles in the back of my neck knot.
“It’s kind of a long story.”
“Really?” Her voice rises in surprise.
“Well, it doesn’t have to be, I guess.”
“But it’s better if you tell it that way.”
“Exactly.” Despite the rough day, a smile comes to my face. Life is crazy sometimes, but at least I have such a good friend in Molly.
“Sounds like you’re in need of some kung pao chicken.”
The mention of it makes my stomach growl.
“Yes, please.”
“I’ll be home in thirty,” Molly says at the same time as the car in front of me honks. “Are you driving?”
“Yeah. I’m working.”
“Really? You haven’t done that in months.”
“Yeah, well, unfortunately, being unemployed doesn’t pay the bills.”
I try to not be annoyed at her surprise that I’m working as a driver again. What did she expect me to do, sit on my hands and wait for the phone to ring? Our apartment isn’t cheap.
Stuffing that annoyance down, I take a deep breath. The truth is that I’m wound tight and jealous. Molly’s dreams are coming true while I’m slipping behind.
It’s not her fault, and I have no right to be irritated at anyone.
Except for that Aaron guy. He deserves it.
“I’ll see you in a bit,” I tell her.
“Okay. See you soon!”
After hanging up, I close the driving app for the evening. It was an okay shift, but also one that reminded me of why I was glad to pause this gig months ago. My first customer of the evening left crumbs all over the back seat, and the man after him basically chastised me for being a young woman “driving dangerous strangers around.” As if I’m not already well-aware of the risks.
Heart heavy, I drive to the car wash a few blocks from our apartment building. After vacuuming the backseat, I park on the street in front of home and call it a night.
I’ve beat Molly home. Kicking off my shoes and hanging up my keys, I grab a diet soda from the fridge and basically catapult my body onto the couch.
When Molly enters the apartment sometime later, I’m still spread across the cushions, gazing up at the ceiling.
“You okay?” she asks.
“Yeah.” I continue my staring contest with the ceiling.
She passes me on her way to the kitchen, the smell of Chinese food accompanying her.
Forcing myself up, I meet her in the kitchen. Time to make myself useful.
“How was your day?” I ask, before she has the chance to bring mine up.
Molly pulls white cartons from the brown paper bag. “Normal. Nothing exciting happened at all. It’s yours I want to hear about.”
“Yeah…” Taking two plates from the cupboard, I pass her one.
Her lips twist. “Did something bad happen?”
“I really bombed the audition.” My voice cracks. With no warning, tears fill my eyes.
Looking down at the plate in my hands, I blink fast. The tears dry, but more will be on the way if I don’t find a way to pull myself together.
“Do you know someone named Aaron?” I ask.
Molly frowns. “Uh, maybe. From where?”
“From work. He’s this guy they had audition with me.”
She reaches into the bottom of the paper bag and extracts two fortune cookies. “I dunno. That’s a common name. He could be a new intern.”
His expensive car comes to mind.
“Yeah, I don’t know about that,” I say. “But anyway, he stole my parking spot when I got to the audition. I had my blinker on and he cut right in front of me.”
“Ugh.” She makes a disgusted face. “I hate people that pull that shit.”
“Right? And the worst part is that he wasn’t sorry at all. When he came into the audition, he said that if I’d managed my time better, the parking spot wouldn’t have mattered and I wouldn’t have been late.”
“Wow.” Molly snorts.
“Yep. Total ass.”
From the fridge, she gets a bottle of white. My nod confirms it’s what I want. Lips pursing thoughtfully, Molly opens the bottle—it’s a twist-off lid, since we’re generally too broke for the corked kind.
I take our plates, and Molly pours the wine. We have a small breakfast bar under the window in the kitchen, but the setup at the coffee table is much more comfortable.
Cross-legged on the floor across from the couch, I dig into my dinner. It’s not until the food hits my stomach that I realize how ravenous I am. In between the stress of the audition and jumping right into my driving shift in an attempt to shake off said stress, I didn’t even think about eating lunch.
“The worst part,” I say, swallowing a bite of chicken, “is that he’s super hot. It wasn’t bad enough that he stole my parking spot and ruined my audition.”
Molly settles onto the couch, her plate on her lap. “What did he do in the audition, exactly?”
“It was like he was trying to make me angry,” I huff.
“Hm. Maybe he was flirting with you.”
The back of my neck heats up. “No.”
“How do you know? Some men are that dumb. It’s like they’re still stuck in elementary school. They think if they pull a girl’s ponytail, it’s a compliment.”
I blow out a heavy breath and reach for my wine. “Doesn’t matter, either way. I have too many things on my plate to wonder about some random person’s intentions.”
An image of that random person enters my mind, his gorgeous eyes piercing mine. A shiver travels from my shoulders to my feet.
Closing my eyes, I push all thoughts of Aaron away. By the time I open my eyes and continue eating, it’s almost like he never existed.
Well…not really. But one day it will be that way.
“Thank you for getting me the audition,” I say. “I’m sorry it didn’t pan out, and I’m sorry if you get any heat because of it.”
“What? Why would I get heat?”
“It was pretty awful. Maybe your bosses will chastise you for recommending me.”
Molly shrugs my opinion away. “It’s fine. I know this probably isn’t comforting, but you were one out of who-knows-how-many people to audition.”
“Yeah,” I laugh. “True. I guess for once it’ll be good to not be remembered. But, you know…”
“What?”
I shake my head. I shouldn’t have said anything.
“What?” Molly presses.
“Okay, okay. It was nice for a minute there. I was excited about the…” My face burns. “The idea of being matched up with someone. At least I wouldn’t have to try so hard anymore when it
comes to that area of my life.”
Molly stares at me without blinking. “You think you might have stayed married?”
There’s no judgment in her voice—I’m the only one truly questioning myself here.
“If it was right.” Laughing, I bury my face in my hands.
“Makes sense to me. You’d be jumping right to the end.”
“Yeah, but it couldn’t last,” I say, dropping my hands. “Even if the match was perfect. That’s a lot of pressure put on two strangers.”
“Exactly. That’s why it makes such good TV.”
“Yeah.” I poke my fork at some rice. “Anyway, the reality is that it looks like I’m still single and unemployed.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being single,” she’s quick to say.
“But what about being unemployed?”
“Unfortunately, rent does need to be paid. How did you do driving tonight?”
“Meh.”
“Tomorrow’s another new day. At least you can put this behind you, now. It was just an audition, like any other. And if the guy you described to me is any indication of the men who’ll be on the show, you dodged a real bullet.”
“That’s a really good way to look at it.”
Already, my optimism is buoying.
“And,” Molly says, “it’s a learning experience. A good story.”
“Something I can channel for my acting,” I add, thinking of the way Aaron got under my skin.
Yeah, that was a complicated interaction. At least I can take comfort in knowing there’s no point in trying to dissect it. I’ll never see him again.
Nodding in satisfaction, I dig into my plate with new gusto. The life I’ve chosen is full of uncertainties, but while that’s a negative, sometimes it can also be a plus. Anything could happen tomorrow. I could wake up to an audition or offer of a lifetime.
That knowledge alone is enough to keep me going.
My phone starts ringing as I’m breaking an eggroll in half.
Putting the food down, I grab a napkin and wipe the grease from my fingers.
“Who’s that?” Molly asks. She’s turned on the TV and is absorbed in one of those teen supernatural shows. If anyone other than me knew how obsessed she is with them, she would probably die from shame.
“Dunno. Haven’t seen yet.”
The ringing leads me to my purse, sitting on the counter next to the fridge.
How To Wed A Billionaire (How To... Book 3) Page 4